FSN to televise $1 million Wheeler Lake tournament May 4

One-hour show to cover second Wal-Mart FLW Series BP Eastern Division event

MINNEAPOLIS – Tune in Sunday, May 4 to “FLW Outdoors” on FSN for the second Wal-Mart FLW Series BP Eastern Division event on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala. The second tournament of the $10 million FLW Series season concludes with the winning pro claiming a cash prize of $125,000.

A full field of 200 pros and 200 co-anglers competes for the first three days of FLW Series events. Co-angler winners are determined on day three by the heaviest accumulated three-day weight. The top 10 professionals continue competition on day four, and the winner is determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days. The stories evolve and the suspense grows throughout the one-hour show until the final weigh-in results are announced.

After three days of competition, pro Scott Lunsford of Calhoun, Ga., charged into the lead with a 16-pound, 7-ounce day-three stringer, which brought his total catch to 15 bass weighing 43 pounds, 1 ounce. In a tournament that has featured patterns running the gamut from shallow-running lipless crankbaits to 10-inch worms, the most popular tactic among the leaders seems to be a combination of jigs fished on rocks, which is exactly how Lunsford is fishing. The Georgia pro is targeting bridge riprap with two key lures: a 3/4-ounce black and blue jig teamed with a twin-tail grub and a white ChatterBait. Lunsford has been trying to manage his fish all week. Tune in to see if the strategy pays off to the tune of a $125,000 payday.

Hot on his heels is National Guard pro Ramie Colson Jr. of Cadiz, Ky. A Tennessee Valley Authority lakes veteran, Colson is at home fishing a jig on Wheeler. Thanks to a 14-pound, 2-ounce catch on day three, Colson is second with a total weight of 42 pounds even. A veteran tour-level pro, Colson is using a traditional springtime presentation – hopping a 5/16-ounce jig over rock ledges. Although Colson is regarded as a top-notch fisherman, he has never won a tour-level bass tournament.

FSN also follows third-place pro Lonnie Oneal. After catching a whopping 18 pounds, 13 ounces on day two, the Valdosta, Ga., pro brought in 9 pounds, 1 ounce on day three for a total of 41 pounds, 3 ounces. Oneal’s big stringer from day two came from a shallow backwater area that was only accessible due to rising water. By the time he got there on day three several other boats discovered they could gain access to Oneal’s secluded honey hole. With all the boat traffic in the small area, the water turned dirty. To bail himself out, Oneal fished his secondary pattern: throwing a Rat-L-Trap on shallow grass flats.

In addition, FLW Tour stalwarts such as Andy Morgan and Dan Morehead are also in contention. With less than four pounds separating first from tenth, any of the 10 pro finalists have a realistic shot at claiming the tournament title.

FSN broadcasts “FLW Outdoors” Sunday mornings. Check local listings for show times and channels in your area. FLWOutdoors.com also provides an online guide listing upcoming episodes on “FLW Outdoors.”

FSN is broadcast to more than 81 million homes through its network of 20 regional sports channels. Established in 1996, FSN is the only cable network that supplies national, regional and local sports programming. FSN serves as the cable TV home to 62 of the 82 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States, and produces more than 4,500 live events each year. FSN has an extensive catalog of original national programs, including “Best Damn Sports Show Period” and “Beyond the Glory” documentary series, along with national packages of collegiate sports. Based in Los Angeles, FSN is part of the vast FOX Sports television family. For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit the FOX Sports/FSN website at www.FoxSports.com.

“FLW Outdoors” is also broadcast internationally to more than 429 million households in such countries as Germany, China, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Hungary and the United Kingdom, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoor-sports television show in the world.

Tournament anglers aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing™, FLW Outdoors® offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.